Worlds Unknown

Monday Morning Rest [04/03].

What a strange week I’ve had. Trying to look back on it, it all seems a little bit like a blur, mostly due to playing way too much Breath of the Wild, which I cannot regret at all because the game is amazing. Even with the constant distraction of wanting to traipse around Hyrule and panicking about defeating my first Lynel, I actually did manage to get some stuff done in the meantime. It’s just everything’s sort of a haze. I can’t believe it’s already Monday again. I didn’t get any other posts out between here and last Monday, and I don’t particularly like posting two Resets without anything else in between, but it’s too late now. I’ll just have to be better about it this week, which I’m sure I will be, as it’s time for a new featured story from World Unknown Review Volume III to go up soon.

As for everything else, let’s break it down a bit.

Reading: I finally finished up a book, though it’s one from last year so it’s not going to be going onto the total count for this year. I found Women of Wonder in the clearance section of Half-Price Books, and, man, what a great two bucks spent. This massive collection has some really inspiring stories from some real pioneers of science fiction, and, as a result, I’ve been tapping into my own sci-fi a bit more (definitely a genre I love but don’t have as deft a hand in as I do fantasy or horror). And for this week, I’ve picked up James Clavell’s Noble House, because, apparently, I only want to read big heavy bricks of books this year. Maybe I should get in on that reread of A Song of Ice and Fire or an attempt at the Wheel of Time books again, too, while I’m at it! I’m really close to finishing up Carpe Jugulum and Lulu in Marrakech, so hopefully those will be killed this week.

Writing: It’s April, which means time to finally stop pissing around and beating the crap out of Fearless to get the draft finished and typed and ready for betas and all that good stuff if I want it out by August. I am taking a little bit of a back seat on the story writing for now (or so I say, but I know me and I’ll still probably plug along), as well as the submissions. I just feel I’ve got so much out there without too much response that trying to put more out every day is just taxing and frustrating and a little depressing. So I’m focusing on keeping my current numbers the same. When I get a rejection, I’ll send out another story, or maybe if I see an opportunity I can’t pass up, or there’s a deadline approaching. But I’m not going to worry about the every day thing. On the, um, bright side, I’ve gotten three rejections this last week, bringing my total to 42 for the time being, so some things are moving. I’ve also got a contract with Pulp Modern to attend to, as well as the release of the latest Bards and Sages Quarterly with my “The Space Between Worlds” in it. So that’s some encouraging news amid some more disheartening ones.

‘Rithmatic: I decided to use some of my birthday money to get a membership at the Art Institute of Chicago again, especially since I had three days off in a row last week and really missed my weekly trips to wander the museum and get inspired. It truly is one of my favorite places, and, since it was really busy the day I went (spring break + rainy weather + Friday), it was all kind of a whirlwind of refamiliarzing myself with the place and visiting my favorite pieces, I’m looking forward to future visits being more productive and inspiring. I also bought a sewing machine to help out with the construction of my cosplay for C2E2, which is fast approaching. You know, I’ll admit, it’s not that great, what I’ve constructed so far, but it still blows my mind that I’m making a dress myself, a dress I will wear and everything. I’ve always wanted to do something like that, so it’s really cool to finally actually do it.

This week and the following week, at least, I’m back to a full-time schedule, which is bumming me out a little, but, as I tell myself, the money is always welcome. I just hate feeling like I have so little time to squeeze in all the things I want to accomplish each day. I definitely don’t get as much writing time as I would like, but I’m still getting it in there and plugging along all the same. Sometimes, it really is the most you can do.

When I was handstitching the hat for Ken’s costume, all I could think about was me and Kristin sewing up Barbie clothes in Grandma LaLonde’s bedroom! It’s definitely something I enjoy, now I just have to get good!